Branding means



C. T. WALTER BRANDING MEANS Jufly 24, 1934.

Filed Jan. 12. 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet l Charla)" I M Zz r INVENTOR W l T HE" 6 5 9/4. (1W @WW ATTORNEY July 24, l lo Q T, WALTER 1,967,488

BRANDING MEANS h A 8 f 1 I [fidfles Z: Wdlfef 5 INVENT/OR 1% WM ATTORNEYC. T. WALTER BRANDING MEANS July 24, 1934.

'o Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 12, 1953 INVENTOR ATTORNEY of magazine 2.

Patented July 24, 1934 7 1,957,488 BaANnrno MEANS Charles '1. Walter,Chicago, 111., assignor to Industrial Patents Corporation, Chicago,111., a corporation of Delaware Application January 12, 1933, Serial No.651,373

4 Claims.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a branding tool forinternal branding whereby a branding medium such as ink or dye may bedistributed throughout predetermined paths within a food product.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the description andclaims which follow.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a preferred embodiment of my brandingtool.

Figure 2 is a section of a ham which has been branded with the tool inthe fatty tissue of the ham.

Figure 3 is a plan view partly broken away.

Figure 4 is a side view of the tool also partly in section.

Figure 5 is an end view of the branding elements.

Figure 6 is a sectional view through the main portion of the tool online 6-6 of Figure 3.

Branding elements 1 are mounted on the face of magazine 2. Brandingelements 1 are provided with tubes 3 which are hollow throughout theirlength and communicate with the interior Needles 4 are slidable withintubes 3 and are rigidly aiiixed to manifold plate 5. Handle 6 is ahollow cylinder communicating with magazine 2 through aperture 7 inwhich is fitted valve 8 permitting fluid to flow from cylinder 6 tomagazine 2 in the direction of the arrows but not the reverse. Reservoir9 is mounted on magazine 2 and may be filled by removing plug 10 whichis provided with air hole 11. Reservoir 9 communicates with the cylinder6 through pipe 12. Valve 13 is provided to permit the flow of fluid fromthe reservoir 9 to the cylinder 6 through pipe 12 in the direction ofthe arrows but not the reverse. Piston 14 is fitted in cylinder 6 and isrigidly afiixed at 15 to plunger 16 journalled in bushing 17 at 18.Plunger 16 is provided with cap 19. Bushing 1'7 is threaded intocylinder 6 at 20. Manifold plate 5 is rigidly aifixed to'yoke 21 by rods22 and 23 journalled at 24 and 25 in bushings 26 and 27, respectively.

It will be noted by reference particularly to Figure 6 that tube 3provides a relatively large clearance for needle 4 substantiallythroughout the length of tube 3 tapering from 28 to 29 and from 29 tothe end 30, providing just sufficient clearance to enable the end 31 ofthe needle to pass to the end 30 of the tube. Thus when the end 31 ofthe needle 4 has entered the restricted space between 29 and 30 of tube3, the tube 3 is effectually plugged to prevent the escape of fluid inthe clearance area 32 which, as has been pointed out, communicates withthe interior of magazine 2. In the operation of the device, a supply ofink is placed in the reservoir 9. Piston 14 is drawn upwardly bymanually grasping cap 19 whereupon ink in reservoir 9 is drawn through,0 pipe 12 and valve 13 into cylinder 6. The downward thrust of thepiston 14 forces the ink through aperture '7 and valve 8 into magazine2, air hole 11 and plug 10 operating to prevent the production of avacuum and permitting free flow of the fluid. Before the ink is forcedinto magazine 2, yoke 21 is placed in the lowermost position such thatthe ends 31 of the needles 4 are substantially flush with the ends 30 oftube 3. The branding elements 1 are plunged into the 7 product to bebranded to the desired depth. The yoke 21 is then drawn to the uppermostposition drawing the ends 31 of the needles 4 clear of the restrictedarea of 29 and 30 of tubes 3 and the branding elements then withdrawn.As the branding elements are withdrawn, the branding fluid is free topass into the cuts or paths made by the branding elements 1 and thusdistributed throughout the paths, thus defining the desired charactersuch that it will be visible in go cross section.

Where desired to secure positive presssure, the piston 14 may bedepressed as the instrument is withdrawn from the product being branded,by the application of pressure to the cap 19 on plungg5 er 16, thuspositively forcing ink through the entire system.

I claim:

1. A branding implement consisting of a plurality of blade like brandingelements provided throughout their length with tubular branding mediumconduits, means for closing said conduits, means for operating saidconduit closing means and a reservoir communicating said conduits forholding a branding medium.

2. A branding device of the class described comprising branding elementsmounted upon a fluid reservoir, tubular members associated with saidbranding elements throughout all their length and communicating withsaid reservoir, needles slidable in said tubular members, each of saidneedles affixed to a manifold plate within said reservoir operable by ayoke external said reservoir, an ink storage chamber independent of saidreservoir, said ink storage charn er com-- 105 municating with acylinder, which said cylinder communicates with said ink reservoir,valve means to permit the flow of ink from said ink storage chamber tosaid ink reservoir through said cylinder, said flow being actuated by apis- 11 4. In a branding device of the class described, brandingelements with branding medium conduits associated therewith, saidconduits terminating at the free ends of said branding elements andcommunicating at the other end with a branding medium reservoir, closurerods operable Within said conduits, said conduits tapering at their freeends forming a constricted opening closable by the ends of said closurerods, said closure rods being operable to open and close said conduitsto permit the escape of the branding medium.

CHARLES T. WALTER.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,967, 488. July 24, 1934.

CHARLES T. WALTER.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specificationof the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 1,line 94, claim I, after "communicating" insert the word with; and thzitgllp s'lifl hetters Patent should be read with this correction thereinthat the same may conform to the record of the ease in the PatentOffice.

Signed and sealed this 11th day of September, A. D. 1934.

(Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

